Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-03
CATARRH.

- -
THE TERM CATARRH is APPLIED TO A
i peculiar disorder of the nostrils and ad-
jacent parts, which prevails to an alarming
| extent, and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The most prominent and characteristic,
feature is morbid discharge from the head
| varying in its nature at different times.
In some there Is an almost constant flow
OF clear, aCrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or mucO-purulent, greenish-yellcw
matter Is secreted, which accumulates in
| the nostrils or drops into the throat, neces-
stating its frequent removal by blowing the
processes. Sometimes patients feel as
| though their head was in state of rotten
| ness, SO great is the amount of matter dis
charged and SO fetid is it's odor. The pa
tient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat Of the morbid
| matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position naturally favors the flow downward
his rest is frequently disturbed from this
| cause. Many sufferers are obliged to lie With
| the head very much elevated in order to
sleep with some degree OF comfory.
In others tough, ,viscid and Offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat and
head, adhering to the parts with gluish tenac-
| ity. Its lodgment embarrasses respiration
easiness in the affected locality, which gives
| rise to constant and almest Irresistible de-
sire to relieve that diseomfo fort by drawing
the mucus into the throat so as to eject it by
| the mouth. This practice, popularity known
| as hawking" is characteristic of catarrh,
and proves as embarrassing to the one af-
fected as it is disagreeable to those around
him.
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the membrane in the shape
OF dry, hard coneretiOns, which are dis
charged by way of the nostrils or throat in
Jumps or fragments of a deep green tint In
some cases these incrustatfons accumulate
| to such an extent as to form a regular plug
| in the nose, which obstructs breathing and
produce serious discomfort. So firmly do
these incrustations adhere to the point of
attachment that their removal usually re-
quires the most violent efforts; not unfre-
quently they have to be torn from the men,
brane. Occasionally a solid cast of notable
size is expelled, on which there are enerally
| traces of blood, but in some cases the cast
presents a tubular appearance, being of exact
shape OF the nasal cavity. This condition is
| indicative OF liberation, which, in time,
| may destroy the bOny structure of the nose
and produce subsequent fattening of that
| organ.
Cases are occasionally met with in which
| thick, visCid, Shiny secretion coats the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putrefies, giving rise to stencil which is
really overpowering,. and sufficiently fetid
to poison the atmosphere OF whole room;
| and there are others in which all the secre-
tiOns of the membrane are suspended, cals-
ing an unpleasant. feeling of dryness, heat
| II
condition popularly known as DRY
| Catarrh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
cavities of the bones of the forehead and
| face, giving rise to dist essing sensation of
heavy weight or compression over the fore
head, especially in the region above and be-
tween the eyes, and to a feeling OF fulness
neat, irritation, sor. ness or pal in the nos
trils near the root of the nose, as well as in
the upper part of the throat, above and be-
hind the soft palate. Sometimes there is
pain obst1nately fixed in some particular
part, as in the temple, ON the top of the
head ,sat the back of the neck, or behind the
orbits, and, occasionally, pain manifests
| itself in the face of so severe character
that 1t is frequently mistaken for neuralgia.
| The breath is always tainted, and at times
| assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
| 1ngly offensive as to render the sufferer an
object of disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
| contested, causing the nose to be stopped up,
sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
disagreeable, stuffy sensation in the head,
| and occasioning violent and prolonged
parOxysms of sneezing.
The voice is weak, lndistinct and husky.
or OF nasal character, displaying a sort of
shifting quality. Oftentimes there is a con-
unuous hoarseness and discordance There
| is also a sense OF irritation in the part,
and frequent attempts to clear the throat OF
phlegm, producing the sound them" more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain OF an uncomfortable feeling of
fuliness, or a choky sensation in the throat,
and in Others of a distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief of
which they have to swallow frequently.
others; again, speak of a constant bad or
namseous taste in the mouth OF throat
| The stomach generally suffers more or less
ana becomes weak and irritable: the appe-
tlte Is capriciOus and nearly always bad in
the morning. The patient is languid, unable
l n nrIr1 ta1 ~
the usual facility, is nervous, depressed in
spirits, at times fearful, timid, agitated, and
inclined to drowsiness and sleep, the mem
ory & &a,i, weakened n and permanent impairment
| The mucous membrane soon becomes
/ morb1dly sensitive to unfavorable infiu-
ences, and In spite of the utmost care be-
comes affected from the slightest causes, 80
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
| OF the nose or throat becomes productive OF
| cold, and gives rise to serious disturbances
Of the respiratory organs. Thus the patient
Is subject to frequent and repeated colds,
each attack aggravating the disease by Civ.
ing 1t new impulse and involving larger
extent OF surface than its predecessor. In
to hs nvadng ad1g e PSnU ffS OR
trachea and bronchial. tubes, until, en-.
croaching further and further, 1t reaches
the finer ramifications of the bronchi, when
but slight impulse is required to send 1t to
| the lungs. Catarr h may, and often does
affect other organs in the body, especially
those contain ng mucous membrane, such
| as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
By the employment Of proper inhalations
in the form OF medicated vapor (not steam
| or spray) we are able to produce Immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
in the pharynx and nasal passages, for air
will find Its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where 1t is utterly impos-
| sible to make fluid applications. By these
means every case can be cured.
Persons desiring treatment by this system
of practice can use the remedy at home ~
well as at our Office, and which will cause
no inconvenience or hindrance to business
whatever.
have seen so many of these cases cured
that do not consider any case hopeless nm
less the disease has advanced to the chest
and that both lungs are seriously Involved.
Even then the inhalations aid us In dis
Ssoay,iing n,ing the me muGus and IN contracting and